Man gets eight years for raping young Roscommon girl several times

A 51-year-old man who raped a young girl on several occasions in County Roscommon and who told gardaí it was "just a compulsion" has been jailed for eight years.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to five charges of oral rape, five charges of anal rape, five charges of vaginal rape and five charges of sexual assault between 2004 and 2008.

The girl, who is now aged 14, was aged between five and eight when the offences took place.

Counsel for the prosecution Caroline Biggs SC told the Central Criminal Court that the victim told gardaí the accused would put his "willy" into her mouth and "yukky stuff" would come out.

She said the girl also complained that he would put his willy in her "back bum". On one occasion, the he got into bed beside the girl and pulled down his trousers and her clothes and "put his willy into her front bum", said counsel.

The court was told that he knew the girl's parents and would call to their home.

Ms Biggs said that the man made admissions to gardaí, when he was arrested in 2011. Asked did he know what he was doing was wrong, he said: "It was just a compulsion."

The court heard the man does not have any previous convictions.

The girl read out a short victim impact statement to the court, via video link.

"He didn't care how it was going to affect my life," she said. "I think my mum should have never let him into the house. I am very angry and scared at him and I never want to see him again."

"He should have been kicked out of our house the first time he did the bold things to me."

Defence Council Martin Giblin SC said his client did not come to the attention of gardaí either before or after the incidents before the court.

He said his client was remorseful and asked the court for "a degree of leniency".

Mr Justice Paul Carney said he was taking into account "the gravity of the crimes involved, the age of the victim, the effect on the victim and the man's plea of guilty".

He jailed him for eight years on each rape charge and five years for sexual assault, all sentences to run concurrently. He also directed that the man undergo 18 months' post release supervision.